Diabolo game top



y 27, 1953 WENSAN WANG 2,836,009

DIABOLO GAME TOP Filed Nov. 14, 1956 l5 \6 I l l5 v r-- A2 =1 w v INVENTOR.

WENSAN WANG- 46 7 ATTORNEYQ DIABOLO GAME TOP Wensan Wang, Tokyo, Japan Application November 14, 1956, Serial No. 622,195

3 Claims. 61. 46-228) The present invention relates to a diabolo game top.

An object of the present invention is to provide a diabolo game top which lends itself to amusing and diverting play for one or more players, and one which is self-illuminated, when in use.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a self-illuminated diabolo game top which, when not in use, is no longer illuminated. v

A further object of the present invention is to provide a diabolo game top which produces a musical tone when it is in use, one of unique and attractive appearance, one economical to manufacture and assemble, and one which is highly effective in action.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be fully apparent from the following description when taken in'connection with the annexed drawing, in which:

Figural is a perspective view of the dia-bolo game top according to the present invention, showing it in a position of use balanced and spinn ng on a cord extending between two sticks held in the hands of a player,

Figure 2 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on the line 22 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is an exploded view, on a reduced scale, of one end portion of the assembly of Figure 3, and

Figure 5 is an elevational view of a modified form of the diabolo game top according to the present invention.

Referring in greater detail to the drawing, in which like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, the diabolo game top, according to the present invention, is indicated generally by the reference numeral ll? in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, and consists in a pair of hollow cylindrical bodies 11 and 12 of identical size and shape, each of the bodies 11 and 12 having one end closed. The bodies 11 and 12 are positioned in side by side spaced relation with the closed ends adjacent each other.

A cylindrical stem 13 is interposed in the space between the cylindrical bodies 11 and 12 and is attached to the closed ends of the bodies 11 and 12, the stem 13 and the cylindrical bodies 11 and 12 being formed integrally of plastic, lightweight wood, or metal, or the like.

The mid-portion of the stem 13 is provided with a groove having a concavely curved bottom 14 and diverging walls 15 and 16 extending upwardly from the bottom 14.

A translucent plate 17 extends over and closes the open other end of the cylndrical body 11 and another plate 13, also translucent, extends over the open end of the body 12.

. The cylindrical bodies 11 and 12 in adjacent portions of the stem 23 are provided with sockets 19 and 21, respectively, which face the plates 17 and 18 respectively. A light bulb 22 is mounted in the socket 119 and another light bulb 23 is mounted in the socket 21. The stem 13 is provided with oppositely facing bores 24 and 25 in United States Patent Q1 ice each of which is a battery 26 of the dry cell or flashlight type. The batteries 26 are each spring biased outwardly of their respective bore 24 or 25 by means of helical springs 27 and 23.

Each of the batteries 26 is similarly connected to the adjacent light bulb 22 or .23 and will be described with reference to the light bulb 23, the electrical connection being shown most clearly in Figure 3.

The battery 26 has an end contact 23 bearing against the base contact 31 of the light bulb 23, the portion of the shell contact 32 of the light bulb 23 being exteriorly of the socket 231 and constituting a stationary contact.

A wire 33 connects the end of the spring 28 remote from the battery 26 to an insulated terminal post 34- positioned in the hollow open space of the body 12 and is anchored therein by means of a metallic screw element 35.

One end of a contact arm 36 is mounted upon the terminal post 34 and is electrically connected in circuit with .the Wire 33. The other end of the contact arm 36 is bent back upon itself, as at 37 in Figure 2, to form a movable contact engageable with the exposed part of the shell contact 32 of the bulb 23 and responsive to rotary movement of the game tonp 1G to move from the normally out of contact position to a position contacting the shell contact 32 to complete the circuit and light the light bulb 23.

As shown most clearly in Figure 2, the contact arm 36 has a major portion on one sid of a line drawn between the terminal post 34 and the light bulb 22. The contact arm 36 is movable .in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 2, as a result of centrifugal force when the top it) is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow, also in Figure 2.

The rim of each of the bodies 11 and i2 is provided with a plurality of spaced pockets or recesses 38 having slots 39 therethrough in communication with the interior of the recesses 33, the cooperating pockets 38 and slots 39 serving to produce a whistling sound upon rotation of the top 14 The peripheral portion of each of the bodies 11 and V Y 12 is provided with tapped holes 4 for receiving the screw elements &2 to secure the plates 17 and 13 to the bodies 11 and 12 respectively.

In Figure 5 there is shown a modified form of the diabolo top according to the present invention, in which there is only one cylindrical body 43 having over its open face thereof a translucent plate 44. The stem 45 of the top, according to the modified form of the present invention, is formed integrally with or attached to the closed end of the body 43 and is provided with a first groove 46 and a second groove 47 on its end remote from the body 43. Other slots 43 are formed in the periphery of the body 43 and have the same function as the slots 39 in the form of the invention as previously described, namely, to produce a musical tone when the diabolo game top, according to the present invention, is rotated at a relatively high rate of speed.

In use, the top it) is positioned so that the groove of the stem 13 rests upon the intermediate portion of a spinning cord 4?, while the sticks 51 and 52 on the ends of the cord are held in a hand of a player, whereupon one of the sticks is shifted by the player to the other hand and the sticks 51 and 52 manipulated so as to balance the top it upon the cord 49 and at the same time, to cause it to rotate. When sufiicient rotation has been obtained, the cooperating pockets 38 and slots 39 will cause a whistling sound and the centrifugal force will move the bent back end 37 of the contact arms 36 into engagement with the stationary contacts or shell contacts 32 of the bulbs 22 and 23 respectively, and energize and illuminate the bulbs 22 and 23, the illumination being discernible through the translucent end plates 17 and 18. With the slowing of the rotation and reduction in the centrifugal force, the bent back'end'37 of the contact arms 36 is moved out ofengagement with the stationary contacts or shell contacts 32 of the bulbs 22and 23 respectively, and de-energizeand extinguish 1 the bulbs 22 and 23. a

The top shown in Figure 5 has a-sir nilar electrical illuminating means within it,'and it alsobecomes illumi nated when spun at a high rate of speed .with the cord 49 in either of the grooves 46 or 47, this form of the top requiring a greater degree of skill than the top 10, shown in the first embodiment.

What is claimed is: a V 1. A diabolo game top comprising a hollow cylindrical body having one end closed,a cylindrical stem.

facing toward the adjacent end plate with a portion of the shell contact exteriorly of 'said' socket, a sourcc of current connected in circuit with each of the base contacts of said bulbs, a terminal post fixedly positioned in each of'said bodies and extending parallel to the adjacent socket, and a contact arm in each of said bodies and having one end carried by the adjacent post and having the other end 'normallyout of contacting engagementwith the exterior portion of the adjacent shell contact, each'of said contact arms being operable in response to rotary movement of said bodies to move it into contact with the exterior portion of the adjacent shell contact on the adjacent bulb and energize and illuminate positioned on the side of said body adjacent the closed end thereof and having one end secured ,to said closed end, there being a groove 'in the midportion of said stern for receiving the intermediate portion of a spinning cord, a translucent end plate closing the other end of said body, a'socket in the closed end of said body and facing toward the translucent end plate, a light bulb said socket so that the base contact is remote from-the closed end of said bodytand the bulb is'facingt toward 7 the end plate with a portion of the shell contact extertiorly of said socket, a source of current connected in circuit with said base contact,'a terminal'post fixedly positioned in said'body and extending'parallel to said socket, and a contact arm in said body and having one end carried by said post and having the other end tnormally out of contacting engagement with the exinterposedcin the space between said bodies and attached 7. r 'to the closed ends of said bodies, there being a groove h in the mid-portion-of said stern for receiving the interhaving a base contact "and a shell contact'rnounted in 7 terior portion of said shell contact, said contact arm being operable in response to rotary movement of said body 7 to move it into contact with the exterior portion of said shell contact and energize and illuminate said light bulb.

' 2.'A diabolo game top comprising a 'pair of 'hollow cylindrical bodies of like size each having one end closed positioned in side by'side spaced relation with the closed ends adjacent to each other, a cylindrical stern interposed in the space between said bodies and attached to the closed ends of said bodies, there being 'a groove in the raid-portion ofsaid stem for receiving the intermediate 1 portion of a spinning cord, a translucent end' plate closing the other end of eachtof said bodies, a socket in each of the closed ends'of said bodies and facing toward the adjacent translucent end plate, a socket in each of the closed 'ends' of said bodies and facing to- 7' ward the adjacent translucent plate, a light'bulb having a basecontact and a shell contact mounted ineach of said sockets so that the base contact i s remo'te fromthe closed end of the adjacent body' and the bulb is said bulb. V 3. A' diabolo game the closed ends adjacent each other, a cylindrical stern mediate portion of a spinning cord, a translucent "end plate closing the outer end of each of said bodies; a socket ineach of'the closed ends oftsai d bodies. and facing toward'the adjacent translucent end'plate, a socket in each of the, closed ends of said bodies and facing toward the adjacent translucent plate, a light'bulb having a base'contact and a shell contact in each of said sockets so that the base contact is remote from the closed end of the-adjacent body and the bulb is facing toward the' adjacent end plate with a portion of thefshellpcontact j exteriorly of said socket, a source of current embodying a battery connected in circuit with each of the base 'contacts'of said bulbs,- a=terminal post fixedly positioned in each of said bodies and extending parallel to the adjacent socket, and a contact; arm in'each of said-bodies and 'having one end carried by'the adjacent post' 'and having tthe other end normally out of contacting engagerne'nt.

' with the exterior portion'of the shell contact of-the adjacent bulb, each'of said contact arms being operable in response to rotary movement of said bodies to move I sit into-contact 'with 'theexterior portion of the shell contact of the adjacent bulb and energize and illuminate said top comprising a pair of hollow cylindricalbodies of like size, each having one end' closed positioned in side by side spaced relation with 

